I do. I love my daughter. I will be telling myself this all throughout the day so I can remind myself not to pack her up and ship her off to boarding school.
We’ve been really lucky. Our oldest daughter has been a pretty easy kid. She pretty much does what she’s told. We don’t have to bug her to get up in the morning, brush her teeth or do her chores (much). She is an amazing cook and regularly surprises us by making breakfast and dinner. She makes my coffee… need I say more?
But… we are rapidly nearing the dreaded teen years (she’ll be 13 in January) and I’m pretty convinced she has been possessed by the Teen Devil!
ATTITUDE!
It’s all about the attitude and I don’t like it one bit. As her 6th grade graduation is approaching in just under 6 weeks, my sweet baby girl is turning into something I don’t recognize. She is testy, rude, disrespectful and downright mean to her sisters. Surely this can’t be MY kid?
Tonight we are visiting the junior high where she’ll be enrolled come August. She is all kinds of excited. Me? Not so much. Little by little, I feel her becoming separate from me; becoming her own person. Yes, of course that’s what we all want for our kids. Except we kind of really don’t. I think I’d be very happy if she would just stay… oh, say… 10. 10 is good. 13 is no good.
Sigh.
It’s unavoidable. I know that. And I’ll be taking her over to the junior high so she can see where she’ll be spending the next 2 years. Where she’ll be making new friends and learning new things. She won’t be right down the street from me anymore. She won’t be in the same school as her sisters. She is branching out on her own. I think the growing pains are just as bad for the parents as the kids. One more thing nobody tells you when you are cuddled up with your newborn baby. As they grow, you grow too.
Now if we can just keep the attitude under control.
My middle son is turning 13 on Saturday and he hasn’t had attitude with us but we did notice he changed when he got into Jr. High this year - I think it’s incredibly stressful for kids these days to make the transition from Elementary to Jr. High and she’s probably going through something… Reach out to her, express your concerns and see if she feels the same!
Thanks Xenia… you might have a point. Although outwardly she seems very excited for all the changes, she is probably scared on the inside.
Congratulations! You reached level 3, “The Teenage Years” (they don’t call it ‘years’ for nothing)…buckle up and get ready, you are just beginning.
It will get worse before it gets better; just think (reminisce?) of how you were as a teenager…expect worse.
Love ya!
I don’t know Pam… we’re we perfect angles in high school? LOL
StephL says
I’ll see you tonight! Yes, the ride is getting bumpy, but whenever mine gets an attitude I secretly love that I’ve raised a strong, independent gal who doesn’t wilt easily and can hold her own. Hmm. I wonder where she get’s that from?
I mostly like it when it’s directed at her dad - ha!
LOL. I absolutely LOVE your daughter. I’m so glad Temera and her are friends. I was thinking about the whole “strong woman” thing as T was screaming at us this morning. I KNOW I am raising strong, independent women. If I survive the teen years, I think we’ll be okay.
Anna says
My daughters will be 8 and 10 this month and I am so scared of the teen years. Good luck!!
Thanks. I’ve got two more right behind her so I think I’m in for a very long and bumpy ride.
Andrew Smith says
I don’t get tired of telling my daughter and son how much I love them. They said as a father, it looks a little strange but I don’t mind it. I like to hug them and kiss them on their forehead even in front of other people.